Originally named “The Mickey Mouse Park,” and then “Disneylandia” before settling on “Disneyland,” Disney purchased 160 acres for the park in Anaheim and started construction in 1954. Disneyland opened on July 17th, 1955 with 18 rides and attractions.

Before it became a global icon, Disneyland went through several developmental names. The very first concept, dating back to 1952, was called "The Mickey Mouse Park." This was originally envisioned as a small, 8-acre "garden and train park" located directly across the street from the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, intended primarily for employees and their families to enjoy. As the project grew in scale and outstripped the Burbank plot, it was renamed "Disneylandia" in early 1954 as Walt and his designers (the "Imagineers") began searching for the larger 160-acre orange grove in Anaheim. By late 1954, the name was simplified to "Disneyland," which Walt felt was easier to pronounce and more marketable for the upcoming television show of the same name. This history illustrates how the park evolved from a humble studio-side retreat into a massive, multi-faceted "themed world" that would eventually change the entire global landscape of leisure and entertainment.